Phoenix
by Lluniwr Geiriau
Summary: The Jabberjay is a bird the Capitol created to win a war. The Mockingjay is a bird that was born from that creation and defied them. The Phoenix is a bird that rises from the ashes of war left behind. Set during Catching Fire and Mockingjay. The story of how a Phoenix was born. WARNING! Abuse and Violence.
1. Chapter 1

I have to squint through the rain but then I see it, the tiny figure making their way down the porch steps

"Undersee? ... What?-" she turns back to me and shivers violently, her lips are blue and she's soaked through

"I-I didn't know where else to go" if I wasn't worried she might die on my doorstop then I'd never have pulled her through the threshold

"What the hell happened Undersee? Here" I say directing her to the seat closest to the fire

"I - I had to get out of the house. I - I didn't - I didn't know where else to go. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come here. It's late, I should go, I'm sorry"

"You're not going anywhere Undersee" I stop her from leaving by grabbing her shoulder, she winces and in just a few seconds the pale blue of her dress is dyed red, blood red "hell's teeth! What happened?!"

"It's nothing" I look at her like she's stupid because the blood has now spread it's way through her dress, half way down her back. I can see the blood draining from her face and into the soft, rain drenched material

"Bloody hell Undersee what happened?" I cry, reaching for her collar

"Gale, please" she murmurs, feebly trying to push my hand away "st - stop" she's unsteady on her feet and I know it's because she's losing too much blood

"I need to get you to Mrs. E"

"Please, Gale, no. They can't - they can't know, no one can know" she sounds so desperate before she collapses in to me. I catch her under her arms and have her cradled in my arms a second later

"Gale?" my mother's voice calls sleepily from her bedroom doorway "what's wrong?"

"I don't know, she's hurt. I'm going for Katniss' mom. Cover the table" she does as I say and I place Madge on her front. I can't explain why I stroke a hand over her hair before turning away but I do it "I'll be back, could you boil some water or something" I don't wait for a reply, I don't even stop for my jacket and run into the now torrential rain. I can't lift my head long enough to see where I'm going without the rain blinding me but I could walk the seam in my sleep and once i reach town the path to victors village is lit.

I don't knock, I call out for Mrs. Everdeen before I'm even fully in the door and knowing it must be an emergency both she and Prim are before me in less than a minute.

"Gale?"

"It's the mayors daughter" do they know Katniss is friends with her, they must know of her at least from when she brought news papers and information before they went to the Capitol, hopefully the fact that she's the mayors daughter will hurry them enough

"Madge?" Prim asks pitifully, I guess they do know her

"She's hurt, she's losing blood"

"Primrose get my bag, Gale could you get the bandages from that cupboard" I snatch the rolls of cloth from their shelf and help Prim into her coat before guiding the two blondes through the down poor to my home.

"She's awake" my mother calls from the kitchen "sort of" she makes her way towards us, greeting Mrs. Everdeen and Prim quickly as they pass her. I try to follow and she stops me "Gale she doesn't want you in there"

"Oh ... shouldn't I help" my mother shakes her head

"No Gale I don't think you should" I can't work out the look on my mothers face "it'll only upset you" I don't get a chance to ask what she means because we're interrupted

"Gale! Gale! Please!" I step around my mother and fly into the kitchen to have the air sucked out of me. Madge lays face down on my kitchen table, her dress unfastened to the waist to reveal her upper half. The tears that mark her back are too familiar, too much like my own. Some are healing, like mine, some are open, bloody and fresh, but the worst, the absolute most horrific are the ones that are raised and pale, the ones that have had time, a lot of time, years, to heal completely and scar. The most horrific are the ones that she must have received when she was no older than Prim. The marks may not be from a whip, may not be as deep but they are certainly worse. To endure that pain as a child, what could she have possibly done to deserve that? Who would dare do this to a child? I look down at the patch work that is her back, specifically at a spot where the skin has been gouged from the muscle and the imprint of what looks to be a belt buckle, and vow that I will make whoever did this pay. I will never again let anyone harm Madge Undersee "Gale" Madge holds her hand out, even though it pulls at the slashes on her shoulder and ribs and I take it without hesitation. I don't look away from her back until she pulls me towards her "get them away" she swallows "they can't see this"

"They're going to help Madge"

"No, they can't know, you can't know"

"It's okay Madge, we're going to help you"

"Gale please" she begins to cry "please don't let them see me, don't look at me"

"Madge" I kneel so we're eye level and hold her hand in both of mine "it's just Mrs. E and Prim, they're going to fix you up"

"But they can't see, Gale please, they can't know" she pleads and more tears wet her cheeks

"They won't tell anyone Madge, they just want to help you"

"Promise me, promise me they won't"

"I promise you Madge, I promise" I press her fingers to my lips, it feels more intimate than any kiss ever has before "just relax okay" she nods and Mrs. Everdeen goes back to work, she rummages around in her bag before turning with a needle in one hand and a vial in the other

"No!" Madge screams and tries to push herself from the table "no! Don't give me that! Please"

"It'll make the pain go away" Prim calms her

"I don't care!" Madge sobs "please don't give me that"

"It's just morphling" I tell her after recognizing the substance "it'll help"

"It never helps!" she growls "I don't need it, they're not as bad as yours were"

"How do you know I needed - wait, you? You brought the morphling? Why?-"

"Mrs. Everdeen, please, I don't need it" Madge says calmly, Mrs. Everdeen looks at the needle in her hands then nods and puts them back in her medicine bag, with the morphling out of site Madge melts back into the table

"You, you brought the morphling" it's not a question, I know, who else could afford it? Only a victor but neither Katniss, Peeta or Haymitch had any need for it, that only left the mayor, or the mayors household but why would they have that much morphling to hand?

"You would've died without it" Madge deadpans

"Why did you do that? I can't pay you back for that?" I demand angrily

"You don't have to pay me back for it Gale" Madge winces as Prim pierces her skin with a needle

"Of course I do, I don't know how but I will!"

"You were going to die Gale, what was I supposed to do?"

"Nothing! You weren't supposed to do anything"

"Ah" Madge gasps and automatically squeezes my fingers when Prim guides the needle too deep

"Sorry"

"It's alright Prim, it's no different than what you're doing for me now" Madge says turning back to me

"Don't be stupid, of course it is, I could work my whole life and never be able to afford that"

"Shut up Gale" she gripes through gritted teeth

"Should've just stayed out of it Undersee, it wasn't your place" Madge looks at me for a long time before she presses her forehead to the table and closes her eyes, she doesn't take her hand from mine but the light grip she had loosens so I'm essentially holding it there. I realize too late that I have broken my own promise, mere minutes after making it. I have hurt Madge Undersee.


	2. Chapter 2

She passes out not long after Prim and Mrs. E finish stitching up her back, I'd planned on apologizing but never got the chance so instead I pull up a chair and fall asleep with my head on the table next to hers.

I'm woken by something tickling my nose, I crack one eye open to find it's Madge's hair, the gold strands still perfectly curled sprawled out on the table between us. It's still pitch black outside but I sit up slowly not to wake her and keeping our hands clasped as they had been last night, lift the bandages to check her back. A lock of hair falls across the stitches on her shoulders and I move it to the other side of neck, my knuckles graze the top of her spine and she moans lightly. I snatch my hand away terrified that I've hurt her and her breathing evens out. I can't help but think that wasn't the type of sound someone makes when they're in pain, it was a lot more like the sound someone might make when they felt very very good.

The idea intrigues me and I lean down to be closer to the area, I blow cool air over the pale skin at the back of her neck and she groans, actually groans. I pull back quickly, surprised at the revelation and the fact I tested the theory in the first place. I should not be learning the mayors daughters turn ons, I shouldn't be enjoying it and I definitely shouldn't be doing it while she's unconscious on my kitchen table.

"Gale" I turn on the spot to find Posy rubbing the sleep from her eye with the back of her hand

"Hey Pose, what are you doing up so early?"

"I had a scary dream"

"Come 'ere then" I hold out my arm to her and lift her onto my lap when she reaches me

"Who's that?" she asks sleepily when she sees Madge

"That's Madge"

"The princess?"

"Yeah Pose the princess"

"What's the matter with her?"

"She's just sleeping Pose"

"Why's she here?"

"She needed our help"

"But why?"

"I don't know Pose, I guess she was scared"

"But she's not scared now rite? We're gonna look after her rite?"

"Yeah we'll look after her" Posy looks down at Madge and puts her thumb in her mouth

"Ssshe hasss pwitty hhairw"

"She does" I agree pulling her thumb away from her face

"She's really beautiful"

"She is"

"Are you gonna marry her?" I can't help but laugh a little at my baby sister, she squirms in my hold until she's facing me "please marry the princess Gale, she's real pretty and she smells nice and -"

"Shhh Pose" I cut her off pressing a finger to her lips "you need to go back to bed"

"I don't want to, I'm scared"

"But you need to go back to sleep Pose"

"Tell me a story first"

"About what?"

"The princess"

"I guess I should have seen that coming huh? Okay, once upon a time there was a princess-"

"A beautiful princess" Posy corrects me

"A beautiful princess who lived in a castle in a far away land. She had everything she could ever hope for, pretty clothes, fancy food and-"

"A pink kitten" Posy offers

"And a pink kitten" I chuckle "but she was all alone"

"Except for her kitten"

"Of course but she needed some friends, some people to take care of her"

"Like us?"

"Perhaps"

"Did she find friends?"

"I don't know do you think she did?"

"Yeah, I think she found lots of friends and a handsome prince and then they got married and everyone wored pink and had flowers in their hair"

"Alright" I hush her quickly in an attempt to stop her getting too excited "and everybody dances at the wedding"

"Uh huh"

"They twirl in their pink dresses" I gently untangle my hand from Madge's and stand with Posy in my arms, she grins as I spin with her. The words come naturally, a song my father sang to us, he sang it loud in the woods and very off key but it always made me feel safe. Posy should hear it

"A gentle breeze from Hushabye Mountain

Softly blows o'er Lullaby Bay

It Fills the sails of boats that are waiting

Waiting to sail your worries away

It isn't far to Hushabye Mountain

And your boat waits down by the quay

The winds of night so softly are sighing

Soon they will fly your troubles to the sea

So close your eyes on Hushabye Mountain

Wave good...bye to cares of the day

And watch your boat from Hushabye Mountain

Sail far away from Lullaby Bay"

By the time I finish the song my eyes are wet and Posy snores softly on my shoulder. I carry her to the bedroom she shares with my mother and tuck her back into her bed, placing a light kiss on her head before returning to the kitchen

"I didn't know anyone else knew that" Madge's voice startles me in the stillness of the kitchen even though it's barely a whisper

"I thought you were asleep"

"Don't be embarrassed" she says firmly without looking at me "it was kinda beautiful"

"Uh, I-"

"Gale I'm literally half naked and bloody on your kitchen table, you saw me at my most vulnerable last night, please don't be embarrassed" I flounder for a moment before taking my seat again

"You know that song?" she turns her head to face me and smiles without opening her eyes

"Haymitch used to sing it to me when -" she stops abruptly and the smile falls from her lips "every time this happened, so even though it wasn't for me and it was meant to be private that was exactly what I needed, thank you"

"Haymitch?"

"It was slurred and he was often crying but surprisingly in tune ... don't tell him I told you that"

"Wouldn't dream of it" I mumble

"How do you know that? The lullaby I mean"

"My dad - my dad used to sing it"

"I think he and Haymitch knew each other you know"

"I'm not sure"

"Well Haymitch grew up in the seam and he talked about your dad once"

"He did?"

"Rite after- rite after the explosion. He talked about a few people, you're dad was the only one I knew" I nod and stare at the ground until any sign of tears has gone, I've gone years without a single tear I won't shed them now

"Maybe"

"Posy, she's really sweet"

"Yeah" I agree, unable to stop a grin

"She's going to be a handful though"

"She already is" I chuckle

"I mean with boys Gale"

"Yeah, there's no way that's happening ... ever" Madge laughs at me and it may be the most relaxed I've ever seen her, even the times I've seen her play piano she seems to be lost so far in her mind she's trying to fight her way back so she isn't completely consumed. I watch her closely as she takes one of my hands in hers, she toys with it first, turning it over and tracing the scars then she pulls it towards her face and places it under her cheek like a pillow. The action takes me by surprise and I almost pull the hand away, stopping at the last second. Instead I clear my throat and look at my feet

"Sorry, I feel safe when you're here that's all"

"It's okay" I choke

"I'll be out of the way as soon as it's light out and I'll come back to pay you and the Everdeens' for all you've done. I just - I need this, just for a little while" she murmurs her eyelids fluttering

"What do you need Madge? Tell me what you need" I tell her, more than ready to give whatever it is

"I just- I need to feel safe, just this once, you make me feel safe" her voice softens as she succumbs to sleep and her lips part

"I'll keep you safe Madge" I promise.


	3. Chapter 3

When I wake again it's a little after dawn, the left side of my face is numb from sleeping on the table, the empty table. Madge has gone, the only sign she was ever there, the bloody rags Mrs. E used to mop up the blood. She's gone, she said she would be but I figured I'd talk her out of it in the morning, if not keep her here by force. I realize with horror she may be going back to whoever did that to her and I stand up so fast I get dizzy.

It's early enough no one will wake and wonder where I am so I waste no more time and run into the street, then through the seam until I reach the town border. Most peacekeepers are too lazy to be up this early so with a quick detour around the square I break into a sprint again towards the mayors house. I automatically go to the back door, hurdling the fence and then all three porch steps at once. I knock and the screen door rattles but there's no answer, I open the screen door and hammer on the wooden panel but there's still no answer.

Someone's shouting, it's a man but that's all I can distinguish, it's muffled by the door so I peek through the glass panes. All I can see is the kitchen and part of the main entryway. There's a crash and then a mass of gold curls and blue fabric is thrown from one side of the entrance to the other. It's followed by a tall figure with a dark box raised above his head, the figure throws the box in the same direction and I realize that I just saw the mayor push his daughter down a staircase. I kick my way through the door and barge through the kitchen. When I reach them Madge is on the floor with a suitcase on her chest and the mayor has his belt in his hand above his head. Everything clicks into place painfully and I lunge at him, knocking him to the ground

"What the blazes! Get off of me!" I climb to my feet leaving the mayor looking dazed on the ground "what on earth are you doing in my house? Get out! Get out now!"

"Come on Madge, we're leaving" I help her to her feet and pick up the suitcase I assume is hers

"Just where do you think you're going?" the mayor bellows "no one will have you, no one will want you, you'll come crawling back" he hisses and Madge caves in on herself "what are you going to do with no money? No food? No pretty ribbons for your hair?"

"She'll be with me" I growl

"You little harlot, I should've known. How long have you been whoring yourself out to any old riff raff?"

"Hey! Don't talk to her like that"

"I wasn't talking to you boy" he hisses "get upstairs now! Get to your room"

"She's not staying here. She'll stay with me and if you come near her, ever lay a finger on her again, I'll kill you"

"The fact that you just said that alone could see you on the post again"

"And what you've been doing to her could see you in front of a firing squad. Come near her again and I'll make you beg for a quick bullet to the head" taking a mild amount of pleasure in the flicker of fear in his eyes I lead Madge away, keeping myself between her and the mayor. As we're leaving Madge opens her suitcase in the kitchen, it's empty except for a few items of clothing, some toiletries and a photo frame. She places it on the floor in front of the refrigerator and opens the door, she hesitates for just a second to take out the remains of a turkey then empties the contents into her suitcase shelf by shelf. When the fridge is empty she opens the cupboards and repeats the process, when she's done with that she looks around for a minute before handing me the suitcase

"Wait rite here, just for a second" she's gone before I can argue and I consider going after her but she's back after less than a minute with her school bag over her shoulder, a smaller suitcase and a rucksack on her back "let's get out of here" she tries to take the suitcase from me but there's no way she could carry it so instead I take the rucksack off her back and sling it over my shoulder. We haven't even reached the end of her garden before she stops and puts her hand on my arm "thank you Gale" she says sincerely, her eyes boring into mine "you didn't have to do that, you probably shouldn't have done that but I'm very grateful you did"

"There's no need to thank me for stopping that Madge" I say pointing back at her house aggressively, if I didn't want to get her away from the place I'd go back there and strangle him with that belt

"For everything then, I really can't thank you enough but here" she holds out the small suitcase "I couldn't get enough actual money but I figured you could sell this stuff or trade it" I take a look in the suitcase out of curiosity and snap it closed again, trapping my finger in the process

"Madge" I hiss "what is all this?" she must have taken every item of silver she could get her hands on and slung it in the suitcase

"Is it enough? For Mrs. Everdeen and Prim too? I could go back for more-"

"No!" I cut her off sharply "you're not going back. I can't take this, it's too much"

"Gale please take it"

"I can't, I already owe you for the morphling-"

"No!" it's her turn to interrupt "you don't. You don't owe me anything, now if you could just help me get all this stuff to the justice hall"

"The justice hall? Why?"

"I don't know what to do"

"You come with me"

"Where?"

"To my house"

"Gale I'd really rather get this all over with, I really am grateful, truly but I'm exhausted"

"No Madge, you're going to come and stay with me" I tell her, taking the last of her bags

"What? No I can't" she argues, pulling on the strap of her bag

"Yes ... you are" I tug the bag back to me

"No ... I'm not" she yanks on the strap

"You are" I yank back

"Not" she snaps and this time when she pulls I let go so she stumbles back a few steps. I swoop down and drape her over my shoulder, starting towards the seam

"Put. Me. Down!" she growls

"Not happening"

"Gale Hunter Hawthorne. Put me down!" I falter mid stride and she laughs "oh yes Gale Hawthorne, I've heard your mother angry" I put her down partly because I just realized her back must be in agony and partly because I wouldn't make it much further carrying her and the bags

"You do realize if you go to the justice hall they're going to send you straight to the home rite?" her eyes widen and she flinches

"No, they'll assign me a house"

"Yeah, no, you don't get assigned a house just like that"

"But I can pay for it, I'll get a job"

"Sure, you could but no ones going to pay you enough to pay for a house"

"Well I have to try"

"No you have to come with me"

"Gale I'm not going to inconvenience your life like that. You have enough on your plate and what about your family huh?"

"I can make it work"

"You think that's fair on your mom, on Posy?"

"My mom will say the same thing and Posy loves you, goodness knows why, you're too damn stubborn" she rolls her eyes and quirks an eyebrow as if to say 'seriously? You're calling me stubborn?'

"What about when they're starving Gale, I'll be another mouth to feed"

"I can make it work" I insist

"How?" she quips, folding her arms over her chest

"I - I don't know but Madge, I can't let you go to the home and I can't let you go back there. Please, just ... come to my house, have dinner, we'll talk" she sighs and I know she wont argue.


	4. Chapter 4

"Well of course you'll stay here" I grin at my mother as she takes Madge's hand

"Mrs. Hawthorne" she sighs "I can't possibly tell you how grateful I am but I just couldn't put all that extra responsibility on you and Gale"

"Nonsense, we're not scared of a little hardship in this house"

"Mrs. Hawthorne, I don't mean to overstep my mark but I know you struggle, I know Gale provides for you by hunting and I know you have your laundering business but even if I got a job I could never repay you"

"Madge dear I hate to do this to you but I'm not giving you a choice. I don't know exactly what it is you're trying to get away from but I can see when someone needs help"

"Mrs. Hawthorne-"

"Madge" my mother cuts her off sternly "I'm not taking no for an answer" Madge looks down at her hands for a moment then up at my mother and I

"Just until I can figure out something else. I'll get a job and help out" I grin having finally got the outcome I always knew we would

"You can stay as long as you need darling" Madge smiles sweetly at my mother as she squeezes her hand "Now, I better get started on dinner"

"Actually Mrs. Hawthorne"

"I think Hazelle will do, don't you?"

"Hazelle" Madge starts again "I picked up some things before I left" Madge gets to her feet and goes over to the large suitcase she'd filled with food "I thought I'd need it but I'd like you to have it"

"My goodness Madge" my mothers eyes bulge the same way mine would've if I hadn't been more worried about getting Madge out of that house, I've never seen that much food all at once and I've certainly never eaten it

"It mite help out for a while" Madge shrugs, my mother bends down and inspects the contents of the suitcase in amazement, it makes my chest hurt to know she'd never get this type of food normally

"It's wonderful Madge"

"I could put it away if you'd like, you'll just have to show me where everything goes"

"Thank you dear"

"Is there anything you'd like me to keep out for dinner?"

"Excuse me?" I stress

"What?" Madge turns to me with wide eyes like a rabbit does rite before I shoot it

"We can manage dinner just fine" I gripe

"I know" Madge nods

"Don't need charity" at that Madge and my mother both begin to laugh, when I realize they're laughing at me I scowl at them

"Oh Gale" my mother sighs "set the table"

"We don't need her feeling sorry for us"

"We don't talk about people like they're not in the room either" my mother admonishes, making my face flush, being told off like a kid is not something I want Madge, or anyone to see

"And I don't feel sorry for you" Madge adds "if anyone's having a pity party thrown for them, I'm pretty sure it's me" Madge laughs

"I'm just saying we don't need your food" Madge's hands fist, she presses her lips together and grits her teeth like she's holding back a tantrum. Darn if it isn't the most adorable thing I've ever seen a girl do

"Yeah? Well I need you rite now, this is all I can offer for the moment as repayment so just ... set the table" she snaps, my mother smirks over Madge's shoulder and I roll my eyes

"Gale" my mother warns "and enough of this repaying, charity talk both of you. From now on 'what's mine is yours' alright?" she rubs Madge's arm comfortingly and Madge nods "alright?" my mother repeats with a pointed look at me

"Yes, yes, alright".

I lay the table while my mother prepares dinner and Madge moves tins from the suitcase to cupboards with instructions from my mother and I. It's strange setting a sixth place, it's been left dormant since my dad passed and for a moment the extra setting throws me

"Tea bags?" Madge asks, breaking me from my trance

"Uh anywhere there's space" I tell her, unable to remember a time there wasn't any. Never, even when dad was around and we had a constant wage were our cupboards anywhere near full. The cupboards have always been too sparse for anything to have it's own assigned space. The table set, I help Madge put away the remainder of food. I can't wait for the kids see this, I just hope it warms them to the idea of sharing our house with another person.

It turns out I had nothing to worry about, Posy hasn't stopped talking yet and Rory is happier about having an older attractive female here than I care to admit. Vick was quiet at first but Vick is always quiet,now though, he's watching Madge in awe as she explains his homework.

When we sit down to dinner Vick and Posy fight over which of them should be sat next to Madge, so I end up giving up my seat. I shift uncomfortably when my mother sets a pot of rabbit stew down before us next to a plate of potatoes and other colorful vegetables. We'd have a third of the amount if it hadn't been for Madge bringing all that food and that irks me. It's all but forgotten when Posy's eyes widen and she climbs to her knees to get closer to the food

"Waaaaaw, I never saw so much food" something in my gut twists and when I look across at Madge she's looking at Posy with sorrow in her eyes. I nudge Madge's foot under the table and she tears her eyes away from Posy to meet my gaze. I mouth the words 'thank you' and she quirks an eyebrow as if in mocking disbelief then bows and shakes her head before returning my words.

"Is Madge going to sleep in Gale's bed?" my eyes bug out of my head at Posy's innocent question

"Yes" I tell her, eyeing the mouthful dangerously close to falling off her spoon "careful" I point it out a second too late as it dribbles into her lap. Madge sputters stew, my mother hides her mouth with her hand, Vick looks terrified and Rory doubles in hysterics "I mean, we won't sleep togeth- uh we- she- Madge will sleep in my bed and I'll sleep somewhere else" I finally stutter

"Like on the floor?" Vick asks, his eyes still abnormally wide

"Like on the sofa" I clarify

"That's not necessary, I-" Madge starts

"Not at the table" my mother cuts her off "we use our meal times to talk about our day and bond. I think we should use this opportunity to welcome Madge, don't you think?".

I have been postponing this all evening but it's getting late and there's really no avoiding it now so I stand at the threshold of my bedroom with sweaty palms and a knot in my stomach I can't explain

"So this is uh- you can stay in here" I stutter like an idiot. Madge Undersee is in my bedroom and I don't know how I feel about it, I haven't been this flustered in my life and I'm irritated because for the life of me I can't figure out why. Madge's brow furrows "I know it's not that big or... fancy or anything"

"Is this your room?"

"Uh yes, it's mine"

"I can't stay in here" crap! Maybe she finds that weird or abhorrent

"I - My ma brought you new sheets and more pillows from Haymitch's place when she went over there to clean and I won't be coming in here. It's just, everyone else shares a room so this is the only one you could have to yourself"

"It's not that Gale. I can't stay in here because that leaves you nowhere to sleep"

"Oh! I-I'll be sleeping on the couch"

"No, that's stupid, you should keep your bed, I'll sleep on the couch. It's enough for you to let me stay in the first place"

"I don't mind sleeping on the couch and it's all arranged"

"Gale" she sighs "it's your bed"

"And you're a guest in my house" I argue

"Exactly"

"Exactly, you should be comfortable"

"I'm sure the couch is plenty comfortable"

"It's not" I deadpan

"Then you definitely can't sleep on it"

"Madge" I raise my voice a fraction "you're sleeping in my bed" I don't know if it's my tone or my words but she nods and I smile.


End file.
